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Monday, February 18, 2019

We all have gifts and talents and passions. Our gifts and talents are meant to be utilized! We're wired for certain things for a reason. When we align with our gifts and talents and passions, we have a strong desire to thrive and our communities benefit from our gifts.

Also in this episode, Brittany discusses the thrill of challenging yourself to try new things and explore all of your interests! This small town girl has kept her small town values and is now exploring the world! She's an entrepreneur, professional ballroom dancer and even tried out to be a Colts Cheerleader. Hear from Brittany and be inspired by her no fear approach to life!

Friday, February 15, 2019

Ava Wettrick, host of Mentorz podcast and high school senior cares about her peers. She's bringing amazing thought leaders to her Generation Z peers to inspire them to think bigger. She's also bringing groups of young women together for much needed connection and challenging discussion about deeper meaning and purpose than high school typically provides.

"There's a difference between childish-ness and childlike-ness. Child-likeness is about the wonder and love in your eyes."

Ava Wettrick - host of Mentorz podcast.

"I vote we let our teens live in child like wonder just a little longer. High school shouldn't be where their dreams go to die."

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession

The suicide rate for teens between 10 and 17 was up 70% between 2006 and 2016, the latest data analysis available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's clearly documented that lack of connection and lack of meaning and purpose is a significant contributor to depression. Couple this challenge with the high achievement mindset driving through education today and we have a crisis.

Before you jump on the bandwagon of iPhones are the villian, that seems like an easy target to shift the blame. Are we really listening to our teens? Do they have a voice? Do we aspire to a strong sense of love and belonging or just a high GPA?

And what about the kids that aren't on the college track? What about the artist and the creative? Where is their sense of meaning and purpose and belonging?

Thursday, April 26, 2018

A year ago I succumbed to the nagging of my children and the nagging of my own "puppy wants" and went searching for a new addition to our family. I thought we had landed on a decision for a nice silver lab in Kentucky. However, God works in His own way and I found myself going to look at white lab puppies my friend posted on Facebook. When several people send you messages about a dogs they saw on Facebook, you start to pay attention.

Because I'm a small town farm girl I came home with two puppies. Insert eye roll emoji here.

What I didn't realize at the time, it was more than Beef and Zuri, my white lab puppies that I gained that day. I also gained new friends and new perspective.

Dave and Connie Bowman are beautiful people, they also happen to raise some of the most amazing white labs you've ever seen! And... they have a story about walking through pain that I want to share.

Many months after my pups came to live with us, Dave and I continued to share texts and pictures of the pups as they grew. I was able to share new litters to my social media connections and helped them find homes for a few more pups. Dave and Connie asked to meet with me to help extend their reach with the pups. I learned so much more about them then.

Dave and Connie lost a child to cancer when she was just a little girl. I sat and listened to them tell their story of this beautiful girl and how she touched so many lives in such a short time. They've struggled with God and leaned on God and look for His healing power. As my friend Emily, founder of LoveBetter.world taught me recently, they're living in the AND. Hurting AND Healing. Complete sorrow AND Joy. Sadness AND Love. Life is full of AND. This is what God has for us and reminds us, He is a model of the AND.

I'm going to save some amazing details about their story because we'd like to write the book of their story together sometime. The one part I'll share today that I love so much, Dave and Connie give a puppy from each litter to a family that needs some extra love. Sometimes it's a family with a cancer survivor, or a military veteran, or another family that has also lost a child. They let God lead them to people that need some puppy breath and giggles to move into their life.

We can take our love and our pain and let it lead us to a place of sharing more love to honor the beautiful loving spirit of a life taken too soon. Today is Chloe Bug's birthday, a special nickname for their little girl. Will you join me in praying for, honoring and loving on Dave, Connie and Chloe's sisters, Caitlyn, Chelsea, and Carly as they walk through today with love AND sorrow.

And if you're in the market for a beautiful white lab, get on the list, and be careful if you go to pick out one, you might come home with two!

Happy Heavenly Birthday Chloe. I didn't get to meet you here, however, I'm grateful to know you through your family. They're blessing the lives of many in your name.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

I've been pretty hard on the "judgey" Christians in my writing. Today during Easter Service I had this feeling ......I sorta get how well intentioned Christians get "judgey".

I feel well-intentioned judgey sometimes. I've worked really hard on chasing down and understanding Jesus at a different level over the past year. I'm completely blown away in where this journey has taken me. When I look at my friends and family that are hurting I kind of want to shake their shoulders and say, "dude, this can help you sooooo much!" Then I remember that no one really wants to hear that kind of "fixer" message.

Wanting more and better for the people you love is at the heart of those well intentioned "judgey" ones. It's hard to explain the supernatural impact of this journey. This isn't just about memorizing and spouting Scripture. This is about being supernaturally transformed in many ways.

Standing in church today, thinking about writing this post. How would I try and describe the value of this journey? It really is a supernatural transformation. It takes investment to dig into the Bible and study to get the benefit. He's not a genie in a bottle granting every wish, but like any parent would, He likes to bless us when we've done good. Grace and mercy are free for the asking and blessing and favor is a reward for discipline. Just like parenting.

So as I stand in church today, tears running down my cheeks in gratitude for how different my life has become. I want to grab everyone I love who is hurting and say, "Trust me, please, you don't have to do this on your own. You don't have to struggle like I've watched you struggle!" And I know that's not the best idea.

We don't talk enough about the supernatural aspects of these last 3 days. The days between Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the tomb. So many miracles.

1. Jesus died on the cross at NOON and everything went completely DARK for three hours. Think about that. There was no natural reason for an eclipse during a full moon. And for three hours? Come on. A sign that without Christ people will live in spiritual darkness.

2. The temple veil tore in two. This was no sheer veil from the bridal shop, this was a 60 foot tall and 4 inch thick piece of cloth that no man could tear. This represented God no longer being separated from the people. Seriously, that's some supernatural stuff right there.

3. There was an EARTHQUAKE at the same time.

4. Graves opened up .... DEAD people walked out and came back to life.

5. Lives were changed forever. People who didn't want to believe suddenly were changed.

That's some supernatural stuff on every level.

I invested more in learning about Jesus when I came to see it for the supernatural power that it is. I've always had spiritual connections and feelings I couldn't explain. The supernatural aspect of this was intriguing to me more than going to the right church and memorizing the Scripture.

So now that I've experienced some of the changes that are possible, I can get a little judgey wanting my friends to feel it too. Then I remember what my really good friend Brian taught me .....

"Preach the gospel always and if necessary use words" - St Francis of Assisi

I'll go back to trying to live this thing out and leave the "judgey" stuff alone.